Pneumatic foot



L. AND C. B. DODGE.'

. PNEUMATIC FooT. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.6. l9l9.

1,352,942. Patentedsept. 14,1920.

Smau/bow ew/J Dope@ Mmmm,

UNITED A.slifrns LEWIS DODGE AND CHARLIE n noDGE, or MORSE EEI'JEE,NEBRASKA.

PNEUMATIC room.

1 App'ncatin flueaoctober e, 1919. serial No. 328,832.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, LEWIS DODGE and of Saunders and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvef ments in Pneumatic Feet,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n artificial feet and means forsol arranging said artificial foot'inside the boot or shoe that when inuse, it will simulate the action' A of the human foot.

The type of artificial foot in general use has been made usually ofsolid rubber, or of rubber having a hollow central portion or partiallyof rubber and some other material such as leather, canvas, etc.

Such devices, while a great improvement upon the older structures madeprincipally of wood or metal or of a combination of the two,nevertheless fail to a very large extent to furnish the proper degree ofresiliency under the heel, and under the ball and toes of the foot, whenin use.

The object of our invention is to provide a durable, a practical and aninexpensive artificial pneumatic foot, whose ease of operation andsmoothness of action are such that the wearer will experience little orno jar or discomfort to the leg vor body when he throws his weight uponthe foot in the act of walking.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to the useof the improvements, the invention consists in the parts andcombinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with'theunderstanding that the several necessary elements constituting the samelmay be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from thenature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there are shown,in the accompanying drawings, means for carrying the same into practicaleect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications tothe particular constructions, which, for the purpose of explanation,have been made the subject of illustration.

In said drawings2 Figure l is a vertical sectional view of our pneumaticfoot, and

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the bottom of the foot, a portion of thecovering being therein. l Y A Similar reference characters designatelikeparts or Vfeatures 1n the several figures removed sol as moreclearly to showv the ar- "DATENT OFFICE.

I Specmction f Letters 'enf 15a-tente sentia, i920.-

rangement of the wiresfor springs embedded of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1, the letter A shows the lower portion of anartificial leg, to the end B of which is attached in.` any lsuitablemanner, theupper portion'of our'artiicial foot, said foot consisting oftwo parts, namely the outercovering or casingl, made of lrubber fabricin which is embedded spring steelU strips or 'bands 4j, as `more clearlyshown in. Fig 2, the purpose of which is to make the structure strongand durable and at the same time to assist in giving la spring-likemotion to-the foot. when the same is in use in the act of walking.

Both leather and canvas have been found in practice to be unsuitable asan outer covering or casing, but rubber fabric, such as used inautomobile tires, although of somewhat lighter texture, has proved verysatisfactory.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the steel strips orbands 4, begin at a point slightly above the opening 5, over the instep,continue downto and over the toe 6, curving backwardly into the sole 7throughout its length to the rear of the foot where they curve upwardlyinto the heel 8, terminating at a point about an inch or so above thesole.

The rubber fabric in which the steel springs are embedded, while ofstrong and durable construction, is however, made with a due regard tothe comfort of the wearer, and in varying-degrees of thickness, a casingfor a man of heavy weight requiring av stronger and heavier constructionthan one fora man of medium or light Weight.

That portion of the casing over the instep is cut at 5, as heretoforereferred to, so as to permit of the insertion of the Vinner tube orbladder 3, and laces and eyelets or hooks 9,

are provided along the edges of said opening as to permit of the' properinflation of said inner tube or bladder, When necessary.

Claims. Y l. In an artificial foot, the combination With an outer casingof rubber or rubber I fabric substantially of the shape of thehulmanfoot, .having an opening therein for the insertion ofan innertube, of an innerA the instep, for the insertion of an inner tube,

of an inner tube of soft rubber substantially l of the configuration ofthe outer casing adapted tofit Within the latter, and means Which willpermit of the inflation of the inner tube. Y

8., In an artificial foot, the combination with an outer casing ofrubber or rubber fabric substantially of the shape of the hu-y man foot,having an. opening therein over Y the instep, for the insertion of anvinner tube, `of an inner tube of soft rubber substantially of theconguration Aof the outer casing adapted to ft Within the latter, and atube and valve attached to said inner tube which will permit of its`inflation.

4;. In an artificial foot, the combination with the outer casing ofrubber or rubber fabric substantially of the shape of the human foothaving steel strips embedded therein from a point above the toevto theheel and an opening for the insertion of an in# ner tube, of an innertube of. softrubber substantially .of the configuration of the outercasing, teil and means Which Will permit of the inflation of the innertube.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures. l y

LEWISy DODGE. CHARLIE D. DODGE.

adapted to fit Within the'lat-

